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Jun 25, 2016 | By Tess

If your dog’s wagging tail or barking isn’t telling you enough about its emotional state, then perhaps this product devised by a Japanese startup is for you. The innovative product, called Inupathy, is essentially a 3D printed dog harness equipped with a heart-rate sensor and LED lights that is designed to give pet owners a deeper insight into how their dogs are feeling. Capable of analyzing heart-rate patterns, the harness’ LED lights will light up in a variety of colors to indicate to owners whether their dog is happy, calm, excited, sad, or concentrating.

Inupathy, which was developed by Joji Yamaguchi, is being featured through an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign after being tested on over 40 dogs. The crowdfunding campaign has a flexible goal of $30,000, and has so far raised about 40% of its total goal.

The smart harness, which itself connects to an iOS app that can be monitored by the dog’s owner, collects heart-rate data from the dog and stores it in a cloud service. The data is then both translated through the LED lights (blue indicates calm, red excited, rainbow happy, etc.) and into the app, where owners can see a comprehensive breakdown of their dog’s emotional and physical states through HRV (heart rate variability). For those wondering how their dogs are feeling when they are not home, the battery life can last from four to eight hours.

The Inupathy harness is able to accommodate a number of dog sizes, from toy poodle to golden retriever. According to the company, if your dog does not fall into this size frame, they can 3D print a custom sized harness that will fit it. Currently, the harnesses can be pre-ordered through the Indiegogo campaign and are retailing for either $199 (early bird special) or $249 regular price. The custom made harness is retailing for $499.

According to the Indiegogo campaign page, if the goal of $30,000 is reached, the Inupathy harnesses will be put into production with a steel mold, which would allow for the products to be both flexible and drip-proof. If the campaign fails to reach $30,000 however, Yamaguchi says the products will still be manufactured for the backers, and each harness will be 3D printed (meaning it will not be flexible or drip proof). Additional funding will go towards further safety tests and certifications, like the FCC, CE, and TELEC. Shipping for the products is expected to start in December 2016.

Considering how much people spend on their pets, beyond just food and healthcare, there is little doubt that the Inupathy smart harness will be a success. According to the American Pet Products Association, U.S. citizens spent roughly $60.28 billion on their pets last year, a staggering number that has jumped $40 billion in just ten years. Of course, having a pet can bring one priceless happiness and support, so why not treat your animal and see what makes it happiest?

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Application

 

 

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